New Zealand Opening Batsmen Break Test Match Records Versus West Indies

Cricket action
Tom Latham and Devon Conway have given the Kiwis a dominant lead.

Third Test, Mount Maunganui (day four of five)

  • New Zealand 575-8 dec: Conway 227, Latham 137 and 306-2 dec: Latham 101, Conway 100
  • West Indies 420: Hodge 123 and 43-0

New Zealand's Tom Latham and Devon Conway made history by becoming the first openers in Test match history to hit hundreds in each innings of a match, leaving the West Indies a record 462-run target for victory.

Latham posted 137 and 101 in this series decider, while Conway added to his mammoth 227 in the first innings with a precise 100 in the second.

The partnership had constructed a massive 323-run stand in the first innings, amassing 515 runs overall—a fresh benchmark for the highest aggregate an opening pair in a single Test match.

Furthermore, Conway became just the 10th batter in Test history to achieve a double century and a century in the identical game.

He followed legends like Greg Chappell, Sunil Gavaskar, Graham Gooch, Brian Lara, and Kumar Sangakkara in accomplishing this notable feat.

Match Context

Earlier on day four, the Windies were bowled out for 420, facing a deficit of 155 runs, before Latham and Conway returned to bat.

Along with knocks from Kane Williamson (40) and Rachin Ravindra (46), the New Zealand top order propelled their side to 306-2 before a declaration, leaving the visitors a formidable target of 462 to win and level the series.

At the close of play, West Indies openers had reached 43-0, with John Campbell digging in to score two runs from 50 balls, while Brandon King made 37.

Laurie Jackson
Laurie Jackson

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